The old saying is that before you can truly love another, you will have to love yourself. After all, if you do not feel worthy of love, how can you feel worthy of loving someone else? Until you can look in the mirror and feel satisfied with the reflection, you will not move forward in terms of being in a relationship.
But what can you do when you don’t feel like loving yourself? It is a good question, especially if you are undergoing stress or concerns that need addressing—there are some tips to follow when you do not feel like loving yourself.
Recognize the Signs of Not Loving Yourself
It may seem strange at first, but there are many who do not love themselves and do not fully understand what is happening. In many of these cases, the people who do not love themselves are feeling shame, pain, or self-hatred that manifests themselves in the following.
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Financial debt
- Self-inflicted violence, cruelty, and self-harm
- Perfectionism
- Eating disorders and more
Hating yourself can manifest itself in many ways. However, they all have in common that you are the target of hate. Sometimes it may be your partner, but such feelings are directed inward for the most part.
Takes Steps to Correct the Issue
If you are in financial debt or suffering from some disorder such as overeating, alcohol abuse, or causing self-harm, then you will need to deal with that first. After all, if such conditions cause you to hate yourself, why should you let someone else into your life?
By taking the first step, you are putting yourself on the path toward feeling better about yourself. Remember that you will never achieve perfection, but you can become the person you want to be if you work towards eliminating the things holding you back.
It’s Going to Take Time
Changing your life for the better is going to take time. That is because anything worthwhile is going to be complicated by nature. Understand that just because you recognize something is wrong inside you, it will take a considerable amount of time to put that into your rear-view mirror.
Other tips include opening yourself up to those you trust. You do not need to confess, but it does help to talk to those who have experienced issues that have hindered their life. Once you gain confidence, put things in order, and move forward in your life, you can re-examine your status and start to find something you love about yourself.
Understand that until you can look into the mirror with confidence, then no one else can help. You cannot receive the love of another person until you learn to love yourself. Once you take that step, a whole new world will open for you.
